Accidental
by azayana
Summary: As the story would later be told, it all started with an attempt to boil water and ended with an accident that would change the course of time. [Zuko x Katara]


**Title:** Accidental  
**Pairing/Characters:** Zuko/Katara, implied Aang/Toph and Sokka/Suki  
**Setting/Time:** Some universe where Zuko has joined the 'Gaang' and freed his uncle, instead of being an elitist idiot.  
**Summary:** As the story would later be told, it all started with a pot of boiling water, and ended with an accident that would change the course of time.

* * *

"Light the fire _first_."

Zuko glared. He wasn't quite sure if he was glaring at the water, or at the girl, but he glared anyways.

"I did! And then the water attacked me!"

The girl stared. "It. Attacked. You."

And she was mocking him. Mocking _him_, Prince (with a capital) of the Fire Nation.

_Exiled_ Prince, that was. But really, he was still a Prince. And the heir to a kingdom. At least, he would be, as soon as he jumped that little hurdle of that thing called his pyromaniacal psychobitch of a sister.

Not that he'd ever actually _tell_ her she was a pyromaniacal psychobitch. Did he _look_ like he wanted to die?

"Yes."

"It's _water_."

"So? You nearly killed me with water when I _rescued_ you and you saw my face."

"You lied to me. Only natural."

He ignored her. "It leapt out at me! In my face!"

"You're hopeless."

"Says?"

The girl sighed. "You tried to boil water. You burnt it instead. Need I say more? How do you burn water anyways?"

"I don't know! That's why I'm asking you to do it!"

"You're the only person I know who can't boil water. Spirits, even my _brother_ can boil water. Even _Aang_ can boil water, and his cooking made us sick for days."

He was not jealous. Not jealous of the pesky twelve-year-old. No. Of _course_ not.

"Your face is turning red."

Ahem.

"It's the heat."

"The heat. Spirits, it's the middle of winter, and you say it's the 'heat'."

"Well," he started, shifting uncomfortably, "it's noon."

She raised an eyebrow. "I see."

* * *

Toph choked back her laugh.

"Toph, you okay?" Aang asked, peering at the blind girl curiously.

"'Heat'… Spirits, he's a bad liar."

"What?"

Toph just gave him a distinctly evil smile. "Nothing, Twinkletoes. So, what are we looking for again?"

"Sokka and Suki… Katara said they disappeared and sent me off."

The smile grew, if possible, eviller.

"So they're alone?"

Aang frowned. The way in which Toph was talking about Zuko and Katara and 'alone' seemed to be suggesting much, much more. But there was nothing between the two of them - right?

"Iroh's there," he replied, watching Toph carefully - she looked like she was about to start cackling madly, but he supposed that was his imagination.

* * *

Zuko was _not_ very much aware of the fact that Katara's hand was on his. Of course not. No, he was trying to listen. Listen to her talk.

"Not like that! Cut them _this_ way. Too big! Make them smaller - not _that_ small."

"You do it!"

"I'm guiding your hand."

"I give up!"

"You're a Prince, and you can't even cut a piece of food?"

Zuko's eyes narrowed, and all of a sudden, Katara found him clutching her wrists in anger, his face almost touching hers.

"Don't you _ever_ taunt me with that again."

She nodded, trying to still her racing heart. His face was close; too close. She could practically hear his breathing; feel his words brush against her face. And judging by the look on his face, he was just as aware of the intimacy of their position as she was.

"I…"

His face was getting closer, too. She swore that if she just leaned forward…

* * *

"We should go back. They can find their own way back. Besides, I don't think we need the mental scarring." 

"What do you mean?"

Toph just suppressed her snicker, holding back the impulse to laugh at the Avatar. For someone who was actually 112, he was surprisingly naïve. Or just uncorrupted.

Probably uncorrupted, she figured, though for the life of her, she couldn't figure out how he'd managed to stay innocent. Especially so with Sokka around. Another one of life's little mysteries, she supposed.

"You don't want to know, believe me, Twinkletoes."

Aang looked at her oddly. "I don't get it."

If Toph could cackle evilly without scaring the hell out of the Avatar, she would have. But she didn't want to be the cause of the Avatar getting a heart attack, though she was tempted to, just to see the look on Aang's face.

* * *

"My eyes! My eyes!" Aang had started shouting when he'd seen them.

Toph agreed with Aang, even though she couldn't exactly see. She could feel the vibrations, and that was more than enough. He slumped down against the tree trunk, slightly dejected and more than a little jealous. Why _Zuko_? Why not him? Why did she choose Zuko over him?

"Twinkletoes, you okay?"

He merely scowled and ignored her.

"You're jealous, aren't you?"

He didn't answer, just glared at the Earthbender.

Toph couldn't see him, but his aura was more than enough to demonstrate his feelings on the matter, annoyance starting to creep into her voice.

"And exactly why are you jealous? Katara can kiss whoever she wants."

"Why _him_?" Aang burst out. "Why _Zuko_?"

"You'd be mad even if it wasn't Zuko."

"Yes, but - "

Toph cut him off angrily. "What Katara chooses to do is her business. Avatar or not, she can kiss who she wants to kiss. You don't have any control over that."

"What do _you_ know?"

"Are you saying I can't like anyone because I'm blind?"

"No! But Katara's different."

"How, exactly?"

"She - she just is!"

Toph narrowed her eyes. "So you're saying I can make out with Sokka?"

"Ye- No! Not Sokka."

"Zuko?"

"No."

"Well then, she's not different, since obviously, someone wants not just to rule over Katara's choice in men, but _mine_."

"That's not what I meant!"

"Can I make out with Zuko then?"

"No!"

"Why?"

Aang paused. It was a perfectly reasonable question, only he didn't know the answer. "Because you can't."

"You?

Aang froze, and stared at the blind girl. "Well…"

"No, right?"

"Ye- No - I mean…"

* * *

Katara giggled slightly, resting her head on Zuko's shoulder. Neither had noticed Aang's shout of 'my eyes', as they'd been too… _preoccupied_. Opening one eye, she smiled at him. He smiled back, making her heart flutter and suddenly speed up.

"I should fight with you more often."

He agreed with a nod, and placing one hand on the side of her face, turned her face towards his. _Closer, closer, closer…_ She felt her eyes shut involuntarily, and one of her arms snaked around his neck -

"GET AWAY FROM HER!"

They broke apart suddenly, and she turned to look at the source of the enraged scream. A furious Sokka was storming towards them. If it had been possible, smoke would have spouted out of his ears.

"Uh-oh."

"Uh-oh is right," Zuko replied, his arm still around her shoulders.

"Maybe we should…"

"Run?"

"I was going to say 'deny it', but 'run' works fine."

* * *

**End. **

* * *

**A/N:** The ending is really rushed - I know. But I couldn't write anymore. My muse is in a tragic mood. Not a happy mood. And this is most assuredly a happy story. One day I might do a follow up one-shot. One day.  
Is the romance in this okay? My romance is very rusty. I can't write it to save my life. And Aang is OOC. As is everyone else. . 


End file.
